Oz'S MOCK DRAFT
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Bengals 2024

  • Oz DRAFTING FOR THE
    Bengals
Draft Selections
Taliese Fuaga Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (CIN)
Taliese Fuaga
OT Oregon State
T'Vondre Sweat Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (CIN)
T'Vondre Sweat
DL Texas
Trey Benson Head Shot
PICK: 80 RND: 3 (CIN)
Trey Benson
RB Florida State
Cade Stover Head Shot
PICK: 115 RND: 4 (CIN)
Cade Stover
TE-EDGE Ohio State
Mike Sainristil Head Shot
PICK: 151 RND: 5 (CIN)
Mike Sainristil
CB Michigan
Malik Washington Head Shot
PICK: 173 RND: 5 (CIN)
Malik Washington
WR Virginia
Trey Knox Head Shot
PICK: 196 RND: 6 (CIN)
Trey Knox
TE South Carolina
Matthew Jones Head Shot
PICK: 238 RND: 7 (CIN)
Matthew Jones
OG Ohio State
Hayden Hatten Head Shot
PICK: 254 RND: 7 (CIN)
Hayden Hatten
WR Idaho
Draft Grade — Bengals
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB+ TradesB- FutureB-
A respectable, level-headed haul for the Bengals: B-.

Call it a hunch or call it a gamble, but the Bengals spent slot 254 on Hayden Hatten, a name most had 67 spots down the list. It nets out to a B-, which feels about right.

Spending an early pick on TE-EDGE with linebacker and quarterback open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to. They punted on linebacker, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.

That Sainristil pick is the receipt they will wave around later. Cornerback was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.

A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.

Pick Analysis
Pick18 Rnd1 Taliese Fuaga
In No. 18 they get a cornerstone up front. A real need, handled.
Pick49 Rnd2 T'Vondre Sweat
They went early on T'Vondre Sweat in Round 2, Pick 17, and the value did not follow. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick80 Rnd3 Trey Benson
By-the-book stuff, Trey Benson at the 80th overall pick squarely in line with his ranking. The roster fit checks out.
Pick115 Rnd4 Cade Stover
A curious use of pick No. 115. Linebacker and quarterback needed the pick; a TE-EDGE in Cade Stover did not.
Pick151 Rnd5 Mike Sainristil
The board had Mike Sainristil higher than the Round 5 slot, and the cornerback fell to them anyway. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick173 Rnd5 Malik Washington
Malik Washington is a better player than pick 173 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick196 Rnd6 Trey Knox
Nice patience on Trey Knox, who had no business lasting to the 196th overall pick. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick238 Rnd7 Matthew Jones
A tidy little value on Matthew Jones in pick 238, a step better than break-even. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick254 Rnd7 Hayden Hatten
Hayden Hatten at the 254th pick is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.